FAA probing Boeing whistleblower’s quality claims on 787, 777 jets
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating a Boeing whistleblower’s claims that the company dismissed safety and quality concerns in the production of the planemaker’s 787 and 777 jets, an agency spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour said he identified engineering problems that affected the structural integrity of the jets and claimed Boeing employed shortcuts to reduce bottlenecks during the 787 assembly process, his attorneys said in a release.
Boeing has faced quality problems and manufacturing flaws with the 787 widebody jet that prompted it to halt deliveries for more than a year until August 2022 as the FAA investigated the concerns. The planemaker is already grappling with a safety crisis following a Jan. 5 mid-air panel blowout on a 737 MAX plane that resulted in the resignation of both its board chair and CEO.
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In a statement, Boeing said it was fully confident in the 787 Dreamliner, adding that the claims “are inaccurate and do not represent the comprehensive work Boeing has done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft.”
“Voluntary reporting without fear of reprisal is a critical component in aviation safety,” the FAA said. “We strongly encourage everyone in the aviation industry to share information. We thoroughly investigate all reports.”
In a Jan. 19 letter to FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker, the lawyers said Salehpour made these observations while working on the 787 program in 2021.
“Rather than heeding his warnings, Boeing prioritized getting the planes to market as quickly as possible, despite the known, well-substantiated issues he raised,” said attorneys Debra Katz and Lisa Banks in a statement on Tuesday.
At the 777 program, Salehpour claimed that Boeing pressured liaison engineers to continue production despite the presence of unexamined defects.
With information from Reuters
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